Flushing device for well drills



-Aug- 1933- J. A. HERRINGTON 1,922,436

FLUSHING DEVICE FOR WELL DRILLS Filed May 4, 1931 I Ki I3 J14. HeWRwam/v INVENTOR BWKQW Paw A... 1 .1 33 1,922,436

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLUSHING DEVICE FOR WELL DRILLS John A. Herringtomlhuston, Tex assignor to Hughes Tool Company, Houston, Tex., a Corperation of Texas Application May 4, 1931. Serial No. 534,717

6 Claims. (Cl. 255-71) My invention relates to well drills employed the water is discharged close to the cutters. in drilling deep wells, and has to do particu- The upper end of the tube extends above the larly with means to direct the flushing fluid head of the drill and has a block 17 of metal upon the well bottom in a more effective manner. thereon into which the tube is swaged. The en- 5 I find that with bits having rolling cutters, larged upper end of the tube receives fluid from 60 it is cliflicult to keep the cutters clean of the a passage 18 through the lubricator cage, which, material disintegrated by the drill at the botwhen screwed in position, clamps upon said tom of the well bore, and my invention has for block and said tube. I provide a packing gasket an object, the directing of the flushing fluid 19 between the block 1'! and the upper end of from the drill in a manner to best clear the the nipple 4 of the head so that a seal will be 5 cutters and carry away the detritus from the provided when said cage is screwed in position. well bottom. By securing the removable water tube in po- I also desire to provide a detachable and resition in this manner, no threaded connection placeable tube for conducting the fluid through of the tube with the head is necessary and the drill which will be held in position without economy of construction is accomplished. The 7 the necessity of a threaded connection. curving of the tube to discharge the fluid at I desire to clamp the removable tube in poone side of the cutters accomplishes a fluid sition by means of the lubricator cage so as to circulation which is most effective. form a seal at the upper end of the drill head. The arrows indicate the course of the fluid.

In the drawing herewith, Fig. 1 is a side The water strikes the cutters at one side and view, partly in central vertical section, of a engages the well bottom so as to carry the drill constructed to use my invention. cuttings up away from the bottom and raise Fig. 2 is a central vertical section, taken in them in suspension upwardly around the drill a plane at right angles to the Fig. 1 position, toward the surface. I obtain not only a better 5 showing the drill with my invention thereon. contact of the fluid upon the cutters but I The drill shown with my invention is a rock also obtain a circulation of the liquid which drill of common construction having a head 1 more effectively carries away the cutting. divided longitudinally into two sections, the di- What I claim as new is: vision being along a plane 2. The upper end 1. A well drill including a head longitudinally ."0 of the head has a threaded shank 3 for condivided into two sections, the meeting faces nection with a drill collar and a centrally exof said sections having registering grooves to tending threaded nipple 4 to engage with the form a single water passage curved to dislubricator cage 5. charge fluid at one side only at the lower end At the lower end of the head are two oppoof said head, cutters on said head, a replacesite conical shaped cutters 6 which are rotatable tube in said passage, a block on said. tube able on bearings 7 mounted upon shafts 8 inabove said head, means engageable with said tegral with the head. The lubricant is conhead to clamp said block on said head and ducted to the cutter bearings from a lubricator means to seal the connection of said block barrel, not shown, adapted to be screwed upon with said head.

40 the upper shank 9 of the lubricator cage 5. 2. A well drill including a head longitudinally A passage for lubricant is provided at 10 through divided into two sections, the meeting faces of the cage to a chamber 11 between the cage and said sections having registering grooves to form the drill head. From this chamber the lubria water passage curved to discharge fluid at one cant passes through the duct 12 to the passage side only, at the lower end of said head, cutters 13 in the cutter shaft 8. on said head, a replaceable tube in said passage,

My improvement lies in the construction of the upper end of said tube projecting above the water passage. The two sections of the said head, a block fixed to said upper end packhead, having mating grooves 14 which are axial ing means beneath said head, and means to of the head at the upper end, but curve latclamp said block to said upper end to seal said J erally to discharge at one side of the head above block and tube with said head.

the cutters. 3. A well drill including a head longitudinally A removable tube 15 is fitted in the grooves to divided into two sections, the meeting faces of form a watercourse, said tube being curved to said sections'having registering grooves to form fit said grooves and extends slightly downwarda water passage curved to discharge fluid at one 1y beyond the grooves, as shown at 16, so that side only, at the lower end of said head, cutters divided into two parts, a frusto-co nicai-shaped I on said head, a replaceable tube in said passage, the upper end of said tubeprojecting above said head, a block fixed to said upperv end,

and means to seal said'fblocl; andtube with said head comprising a packing ring below said block and a member screwed uponf I said head and bearing upon said blockto clamp it tightly upon said packing ring.

, 4. A well drill including ahead longitudinally divided into two sections, the meeting faces of said' sections being formed with mating grooves to provide a fluid passage axially of said head at the upper end but curved to discharge the fluid at one side of the head, and a replaceable tube curved tofltsaid passage,'said tube pro jecting above said head, a block' on 'said"'tube,' and a lubricator cage adapted to be. screwed upon said head and slidably engage and: clamp said tube head in position. v a i, 5. A well drill includingxa" head longitudinally groove, and means to seal around said tube at its upper end.

- 6. A well drill including a head longitudinally divided into two parts, a trusto-oonical shaped cutter on each part adapted when said head is assembled to set opposite each other, mating grooves, in saidhead to provide a fluid passage axially of said head at its upper end, but curved to discharge all of the flushing fluid at one side of said cutters, a curved tube in said groove projecting above said head, a block fixed rigidly upon the projecting upper end of said tube, 1 and means below said block to seal said tube in saidpassage;

7 JOHN A. HERRING'I ON. 

